Typically, neckties comprise an outer casing, tipping and an interliner therebetween to give the tie support and weight. The tipping, or alternatively, the pocket or facing, is a piece of material sewn to the back of the tie casing, either on the wide end of the tie or the narrow end thereof, or at both ends. This is done to give the tie a more luxurious appearance. Generally, facing material has at least 80 threads per inch in the warp and at least 50 threads per inch in the filling.
It is desirable to have a necktie construction that permits the necktie to acquire an appearance that will exhibit the luster and pattern of the textile fabric constituting the outer casing of the necktie when in the tied condition. This is especially true with a necktie of the four-in-hand type. To this end, it is desirable to provide a necktie that, when tied or knotted in the usual manner, will develop a tear-shaped concavity, commonly known as a "dimple," immediately below the knot, and located substantially midway between the marginal edges of the necktie. In addition to producing a necktie construction which, when tied, will result in imparting a contour to the small areas or portions of the necktie about the "dimple", it is desirable to provide a tie construction that, when tied, resists the natural tendency of the knot to loosen.
Various attempts have been made to attain the foregoing features For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,409,744, two elongated strips of stiffening material, such as felt or any fabric having a frictional surface, are positioned on the back face of the knot tying portion of the tie. These strips extend outwardly from the point where the neck encircling portion joins the knot tying portion. They also extend toward the end of the knot tying portion a sufficient distance so that when a suitable knot is tied, the outer ends of the frictional strips will extend below the knot. This tie construction induces "dimple" formation once a knot is made in the tie and tends to resist the natural tendency of the knot to loosen. However, the strips are, for example, secured in position by stitching, or they may be formed by coating or impregnating those portions of the knot forming part of the tie. Thus, providing the tie with such strips involves additional manufacturing steps. Additionally, the strips must provide stiffening lines having a frictional surface. Therefore, these strips can detract from the "hand" of the tie. Further, in the final pressing of the tie during manufacture, the strips can press through the front or back (or both) of the tie.
A further tie construction which has been used to obtain a dimple effect when a knot is placed in the tie is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,653,325. This tie includes a reinforcing lining which is placed within the outer casing of the tie. A centrally located, longitudinally extending depression or cavity, is preformed in the reinforcing lining, with the depression disposed in offset relation to the planes defining the thickness of the lining. In this way, the lining ensures formation of a "dimple" in the necktie immediately adjacent the knot and approximately midway between the marginal edges of the tie. However, the depression must be formed in the interliner. This can be done in a number of ways. For example, the portion of the liner to be preformed to define the depressed portion can be impregnated with a thermosetting resinous material or the like and the impregnated portion of the liner put in a mold and subjected to heat and pressure. Accordingly, numerous manufacturing steps are required. Further, the resultant depressed portion is relatively stiff, and thus can detract from the overall crease resistance of the tie. In addition, the relatively stiff depressed portion also detracts from the "hand" of the tie. Further, in the final pressing of the tie during manufacture, the relatively stiff depressed portions can press through the front or back (or both) of the tie.
In recent years, necktie outer casings have been made of lighter materials. This has resulted in-part from the demand for lighter apparel. The above-described problems associated with relatively stiff material, used to induce "dimple" formation, are exacerbated in ties having outer casings made of lighter material. In addition, when stiffening strips are used and adhesively attached to the inner surface of the outer casing the adhesive can bleed through the relatively lightweight outer casing and show up as shadows in the outer casing along the stiffening strips.
Therefore, there is a need to provide a necktie which ensures obtaining a dimpled effect when the necktie is in a knotted condition without detracting from the "hand" of the tie. This necktie also should minimize or prevent knot slippage. In addition, there is a need to provide such a necktie which is of simple construction to increase manufacturing efficiencies.
Furthermore, ties having outer casings made of lighter materials have been provided with heavier interliners or double interliners to provide these ties with sufficient support. However, this approach has detracted from the overall desired lightness of the tie. Accordingly, there is a need to reduce the weight of the necktie without sacrificing the requisite support for its casing.